


Day 084

by Josh_the_Bard



Series: A Year in Kirkwall [84]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age II
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-25
Updated: 2020-03-25
Packaged: 2021-03-01 01:01:55
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 930
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23306485
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Josh_the_Bard/pseuds/Josh_the_Bard
Series: A Year in Kirkwall [84]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1589257
Kudos: 1





	Day 084

Viddathari-Ruban and Viddathari-Jerran waited in their room for three hours past the time Claudia said she would be back by. They were meant to return to the Viddasala and await further instructions, like good Viddathari. It didn’t feel right, however, leaving the woman who was their link to the Qun behind.

“Claudia might be in danger, or they might have captured her,” Vithathaari-Ruban said. “We know where the Carta are hiding, we should go rescue her.”

Vithathaari-Jerran didn’t look up from polishing his sword.

“Anything that could take down Claudia will be too much for us, shurley.”

“So we should just leave her?” Viddathari-Ruban demanded. “Tuck out tails and head back to the Viddasala?”

“That’s what the Qun demands of us today,” Viddathari-Jerran replied, though from his tone, Viddathari-Ruban could tell he didn’t like it.

“The Qun demands the return of the artifact,” Viddathari-Ruban said. “I doubt the Qun cares how it happens.” When Viddathari-Jerran didn’t refuse immediately, Viddathari-Ruban continued. “We know where she was going. I can sneak in and you can kee watch. If it looks like too much for us we will report back to the Viddasala, if not we can complete our first real mission for the Qun as heroes.”

Jerran grumbled but eventually agreed. The two Viddathari crept all the way from the Blooming Rose to Darktown until they were almost at the Carta base. Unfortunately, there were no rooftops to climb across down here but there was plenty of shit strewn about to hide behind. Viddathari-Ruban reached a lookout post without raising any alarm and slipped inside.

He had to cover his mouth to keep from screaming. There were two dwarves inside, but they were desiccated, as though their blood had been ripped from their bodies. Whatever had happened to it, it wasn't in the room. Not a single drop. Viddathari-Ruban tentatively opened the door to the interior of the base and a different, yet equally horrifying, scene greeted him. Here it looked as though the dwarves had fought amongst themselves, apparently they had all lost and pairs of Carta members were locked together, each one having stabbed the other through the heart.

Viddathari-Ruban opened the tood for his templar companion and Viddathari-Jerran stared at the carnage in horror.

“This was blood magic,” he said. “It would have to be a powerful mage as well to have affected so many dwarves. Or perhaps a coven. We should not be here.”

“We still need to see if Claudia is here somewhere,” Viddathari-Ruban said. Without waiting to make sure he was followed, he pushed deeper into the hideout. He turned a corner and heard two voices. One was an ear-shattering shriek and the other was a bone-rattling bellow. Viddathari-Ruban followed the voices and ended up in a room that had been torn apart. A shattered desk lay in the center of the room and papers flew about in a whirlwind. 

At one end of the room, a robed figure hovered, blasting a beam of blue... something at an enraged dwarf. The dwarf charged across the room bellowing at the figure who flew away before the dwarf could reach it.

“That’s a despair demon,” Viddathari-Jerran said. “It is weak to fire and likes to keep its distance.”

“I don’t have any sodding fire,” The dwarf bellowed. His next charge reached the demon but it leapt over his axe and kept out of reach. Viddathari-Jerran advanced, moving to trap the creature between himself and the dwarf. Viddathari-Ruban fired a few arrows from his bow but they were deflected by some sort of magical barrier.

The dwarf charged again and Viddathari-Jerran closed his eyes, and took a swig from a blue bottle. As the demon flew past him the templar did something to it. There was a flash of light and it shreaked in agony.

“The Barrier’s down!” Viddathari-Jerran hsouted. Viddathari-Ruban fired one more arrow, pinning the creature’s robe to what was left of the desk. This time, when the dwarf charged, the demon couldn’t escape in time and he cleaved the monster in two with his axe. 

They all stood a moment in silence, save for the heaving breathing of the dwarf.

“Not that I make a habit of being ungrateful,” said the dwarf. “But who the fuck are you, and what the bloody hell are you doing in my base?”

“I am Ruban.” Viddathari-Ruban said. “My friend is Jerran. We were looking for a friend of ours. We thought she came through this way?”

“Rhatigan,” said the dwarf. “I hope your friend isnt a fucking Qunari.”

“W-what?” Viddathari-Jerran stammered.

“This fuking Qunari mage showed up and killed my men. The bitch also summoned that demon to kill me. Only I’m not so easy to kill.”

“No,” Viddathari-Ruban said. “Our friend was a human. She was-” He stopped talking when he noticed the other body in the room. It might have been Claudia, it was hard to tell with her face smashed in like that. Rhatigan followed his gaze and nodded.

“I see,” he said. “The demons got her. I imagine you’ll be after my fancy Qunari relic too then.”

“Aye,” Viddathari-Jerran replied. “You have it then?”

“I did,” Rhatigan grunted. “My smith Gerav ran off with it when the sodding mage turned up. If you want a shot at the relic you should help me track them down.”

“Sounds good,” Viddathari-Ruban said. The dwarf nodded and marched out of the room, clearly used to being followed without question.

“I don’t think we should trust him,” Viddathari-Jerran whispered as the two men followed.

“Then we won’t,” Viddathari-Ruban replied.


End file.
